Do California Democrats have an identity crisis? These voters share their party concerns
They like the Democrats’ ideas. But they don’t always like the Democrats.
“They’re a little more accepting of everyone,” said Sagrario Cuevas, a student at Sacramento City College, of the Democratic Party. “But I think they could be doing more, too”
Cuevas joined other voters earlier this month at a forum organized by the Sacramento Bee and Sacramento City College. Voters were asked to offer their views on the Democratic Party in one of the nation’s most Democratic states.
During the hour-long discussion, there was a recurring. them. Participants saw a disconnect between the principles they identified with the party – compassion for immigrants, gun control, help for people in need and social justice —and the actual implementation of these ideals as policy. They were disappointed in the pace of change.
“The party needs to put money where it’s supposed to be,” said Brian Rodgers, 41, a homeless shelter worker.
Dave Miller, 72, said he’s a longtime Democrat. “I believe in taking care of the people who are lower income,” he explained, and the party has a history of such compassion.
But it’s dodged a big way of providing that care, he said, which would be to enact universal health care coverage.
“Every other developed nation has universal health care,” said Miller, who works in advertising. “We’re the ones that don’t because Republicans call it socialized medicine.”
A big push to do so in 2009 and 2010 faltered, despite strong support from liberal Democrats. Republican and moderate Democrat support was difficult to earn, and insurance and other health care interests were reluctant to go along.
The effort did produce Obamacare, which made the biggest changes in health care policy in a generation. Insurance is now easier to obtain, aided by government subsidies, and there are limits on a patient’s out of pocket expenses.
“We do the best we can,” Miller said.
Cuevas, 19, had a similar view toward the party. She praised it for being “more accepting,” but still found health care too expensive and immigration laws too rigid.
Her parents are Mexican immigrants. She would like to see more acceptance of immigrants and more help for them once they cross the border. “There’s a lot of laws discriminating against them,” Cuevas said.
And she’d like to see college become less expensive. That’s why, when asked what Democrat she likes, she mentions Sen. Bernie Sanders, the liberal Vermont independent who has twice unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for president.
“I like the fact that he tried to make college free for everyone,” Cuevas said.
‘Kind of Hippie-ish’ Democrats
Nicole Jean Rogers, a cook and cleaning worker, was sitting next to her and saw a very different Democratic Party. “I like the Democratic Party,” she said. “I mean, they care about the earth.” .
But she’s also concerned that often the party is “kind of too….extremist. They are kind of hippie-ish.”
A single mother, once homeless, she said the government has helped her — to a point.
“I was able to get jobs that were above my educational level,” Rogers said, because of Republicans who were parenting her.
Brian Rodgers didn’t have even the nice words for the party that others did. “I was raised to believe we were supposed to be Democrats,” said the 41-year-old homeless shelter worker.
Today, he’s unhappy with what he sees as squandered potential.
The homeless demographic, he said, is diverse. “Homelessness was thought to be something that was more miscreants, transients,” he said, but in fact it involves people with mental health challenges, have had a difficult economic time, and other issues.
The root of the problem, he said, is that the party is too beholden to other interests. “We can actually put money where it’s supposed to go,” Rodgers said. “That’s not a hard thing to do.”
Trouble is, “I don’t think the Democrats are in charge,” Rodgers said. “I think CEOs are in charge. I think millionaires are in charge. I think companies are in charge.”
The voters appeared to know little about who’s running in the Nov. 8 election. What they know is that there’s a disconnect between their daily lives and the political party that runs the state and federal government and can make a difference.
“There’s no lack of resources,” Rodgers said.
This story was originally published October 28, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
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